


A Piece of Home

by omgitscharlie



Series: Always Looking Forward: A Collection of Inuyasha Drabbles [5]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Kissing, Mistletoe, Post-Canon, Smut, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:28:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28228404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omgitscharlie/pseuds/omgitscharlie
Summary: At winter's first snowfall, Kagome finds herself reminiscing about Christmas back in her time.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Series: Always Looking Forward: A Collection of Inuyasha Drabbles [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1963189
Comments: 9
Kudos: 85





	A Piece of Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zelico](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zelico/gifts).



> This is the secret santa one-shot that I gifted for the lovely @zelico! I hope this post-canon Inuyasha x Kagome one-shot brings you some joy this holiday season! It’s been a joy writing this for you and I’m so excited to give it to you. Have a great holiday, my dear!

The first snowfall of the season had Kagome waking up early to simply sit by the window and watch the flakes gracefully fall to the ground. Holding a hot cup of tea in her hands, it brought nostalgic feelings of hot cocoa with marshmallows while sitting by the fire with Mama, Souta and Grandpa. As much as she missed them, the memories made it easier, bringing the pain to a dull ache that ebbed and flowed throughout the years. One thing helped above all else, and when she felt the strong arms around her and the press of a gentle kiss to her neck, she was reminded of it. 

How he was shirtless in such cold weather, Kagome didn’t know. The fire she’d built when she awakened hadn’t been lit for long and thus hadn’t warmed their home to its full potential just yet. Well, perhaps it was unfair to think him odd for being partially nude, as she had stolen his robe of the fire rat to keep herself warm before he woke up. It hung over her petite frame loosely, not having maneuvered it as she had in the past and let its form remain as it was. The only way she held it closed was by drawing one side across the other before wrapping her arm across her ribs, making it easy to remove but she was sure her husband would want it back at some point regardless.

“You’re up early,” he hummed against the curve of her shoulder as she leaned back into his hold. A content smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, knowing that it wasn’t odd for her to be up just after sunrise, but to be up just as it began was another thing entirely. Not only that, she’d been the one to start the fire and make the tea, with Inuyasha typically being the one to do both - it was a rare occurrence for her to wake before him.

“Mmm, I woke up and saw the snow. Wanted to watch it fall before the world was awake,” her voice still held sleep, as she hadn’t used it since she’d gotten up, low and delicately gritty. Inuyasha pressed a kiss to her jawline before simply resting his chin on her shoulder to join her in peering out into the white nothingness.

“It’s just snow,” he didn’t understand her fascination with it or how she found it to be whimsical. Snow had always been a hindrance for him, making it harder to hear and smell - took away his tools for survival. But he didn’t need that anymore, not as much at least. He had a life he’d never thought he’d have, with a wife and a home in a village that accepted him. He didn’t need to scavenge or be wary of every person he met, all thanks to the woman he held in his arms.

Kagome gave a small sigh, unsurprised by Inuyasha’s flippant remark but still a little disappointed, “I know but,” Kagome put her tea cup on the window sill before turning in his arms and wrapping her own around his neck. It caused his robe she wore to open, showing him a straight line of his wife’s nude body beneath it, “Don’t you find it kind of magical? Y’know, to just be sitting by a warm fire with a blanket beside the ones you love?” It was a sales pitch she knew hadn’t resonated with him, seeing his expression turn quizzical as a brow cocked upwards.

“Not really. We can do that any season,” he countered, running his hands beneath the fabric of the robe and over her ribs and waist. The warmth of his hands had her drawing herself closer to him, despite the fact that she was growing frustrated by his responses, “Why’s it any different when there’s snow?” 

“ _Because_ ,” Kagome stated with slight exasperation, knowing that it was more so an unexplainable feeling rather than something tangible, ”It just _is_. It means spending time with family, presents...decorating the tree, kissing under the mistletoe...”

“Kissing under mistletoe?” Inuyasha asked with a brow quirked upward.

“Yeah! Back in my time, it’s tradition to kiss if you find yourself under mistletoe with someone,” she explained with a nod.

“Just anyone?”

Kagome shook her head, “Usually it’s for couples or if someone has a crush on someone, it gives them an opportunity to reveal their feelings.” A sudden blush washed over Kagome’s features, recalling how she’d thought about using that exact same tactic to reveal her feelings to the man in front of her all of those years ago. 

Nothing got past him, gaze narrowing towards her, “What’s that look for?”

“What look?” Kagome tried to deflect, gaze averting his before feeling his finger press against her chin and coax her to look at him.

“You’re blushin’,” he stated blatantly, letting a grin pass over his face that only seemed to deepen the flush on his wife’s face, “Why’s that, Kagome?”

“It’s getting warm in here.”

“Nuh-uh,” he teased, shaking his head slightly, “Tell me, _wife_.”

Rolling her eyes, she released a sigh of defeat, “Iー” she paused, trying to find the best way to explain it, “I wanted to do that with you when we celebrated it that one time ー kiss you under the mistletoe and tell you how I felt.”

A delightfully surprised look passed over his expression, keeping that grin on his face (though perhaps a bit for warmth and genuine than teasing), “Why didn’t you?”

“You _know_ why,” Kagome explained rather bluntly, shooting him a half-hearted glare. It was complicated back then, there were other things they needed to focus on. Both of them knew that. Did Kagome wish she’d let her pride go a little more? Perhaps. Though, deep down, she knew nothing would truly have flourished until Inuyasha’s business with Kikyo was over. 

Seeing her glare, he decided to drop the subject and try to shift it to something else, “Is this a part of that Christmas thing you used to talk about?” he asked blatantly, remembering how she’d brought them presents one year wrapped in strange, colourful paper and topped with bows. Kagome nodded in confirmation, knowing that it would be impossible to explain such a phenomenon to him when he’d never experienced it. There wasn’t truly anything like that in the Feudal Era and she knew it was unfair to have him just automatically understand, but she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Sliding her hands down the front of his chest, she gently pushed herself from him - or, at least, _tried_ to. Inuyasha could tell she’d been let down by his answer as well as embarrassed by her admission, he wasn’t the _completely_ oblivious boy he’d been when they first met. Even still, there were things that he didn’t understand when it came to her and certain sentiments, the one she explained being one of them, “Do you wanna do that?” he asked, keeping her from pushing him away. 

“Do what?”

“Christmas,” if nothing else, Kagome knew Inuyasha would do anything to make her happy, even if he didn’t really understand why certain things did. Her body relaxed in his arms at the sentiment, letting her arms snake back around his neck and press her chest against his.

Tilting her head, she pushed herself up on her tiptoes to press a thankful kiss to his lips, Inuyasha returning it happily. It lasted for a moment or two until Kagome broke it, keeping their faces close as she spoke, “We don’t have to. I don’t even know when it would be.”

As hard as she’d tried to keep track of the calendar days, they’d eventually been lost on her, the only thing she really had to go on being the lunar cycle.

“Could just pick a day,” he suggested, Kagome pondering on it for a moment while Inuyasha saw her smile grow wider and wider. It was a relief to see it, always worried about having it disappear at any point; they bickered less, at least not as intensely as they used to, to the point where Kagome would storm off and he’d have to spend the rest of the day making up for his stupid mouth, “Ask Sango and Miroku if they wanna join. Make sure it’s on a day that the runt’s back.”

He was rewarded with another kiss from his wife, this one more open-mouthed and languid as she pressed herself harder against him. She couldn’t help herself, knowing full well that he was making an effort just for her to have a piece of her time with him. 

The kiss deepened, Kagome’s hands running down the front of his stomach to the tie of his hakama. Inuyasha stopped her then, grabbing her wrist in one of his hands as he pulled away from her, “Is that a yes?” 

Nodding, she gave a soft hum of ‘mhm’ before brushing her nose against his, “We can figure out the details later,” Kagome murmured against his lips before diving in for another loving, appreciative kiss. 

The hold her husband had on her wrist loosened enough for her to start tugging at the ties of his hakama. Feeling the fabric go slack, she immediately ran one hand down the front of him, gripping his shaft in her hand with a low hum of contentment. The touch of her hand had him grunt, placing his hand on her neck as their kisses continued. It was no surprise that he was already hard, seeing his wife in his robe always seemed to do something to him; he didn’t know why it did, but he could guess it had something to do with the fact that it meant she found comfort in it. 

Being forced to take a step backward, Kagome felt herself pressed against the wall by the strength of her husband’s body. The wall was rather cold, the fire only beginning to let the heat fill their home fully, but she’d hardly noticed with the Robe of the Fire-Rat keeping her temperature even. 

Pulling her lips from his, Kagome let her eyes open, half-lidded and lustful. They met her husband’s in the same state as her lips pulled into a small, authentic smile, “Lie down,” she breathed, seeing her husband’s face become more alert with confusion. Pressing her hand against his chest, she pushed on it as a hint to do as she said. 

Typically, especially in their first few months together, Inuyasha was the one taking the lead most of the time. Primal instinct ran through him when it came to his arousal and how to sate both himself and his wife. Though, after the two of them explored and became more comfortable, Kagome had begun to be more forward with her approach. Inuyasha hardly complained; if he were to take orders from anyone, it was her.

Releasing their hold on each other, Inuyasha did as she asked by moving to the futon and situating himself on his back. Knowing full well where this was headed, he peeled off his hakama as Kagome made her way to meet him. 

Climbing into the futon, she moved to straddle his hips, the wetness of her core running over the underside of his cock. The sensation had Inuyasha moving to grip her hips while Kagome moved to shrug the rob off her shoulders.

“Waitー”

Her husband’s voice had her halting, the robe now handing off the crooks of her elbows and exposing the entirety of her torso. Kagome peered down at him with eyes bright with a sense of confusion, especially when she saw the light flush of pink on her husband’s cheeks.

“Uhー” he stuttered, gaze averting hers out of bashfulness of his next request, “CーCan you keep it on?” 

Seeing his ears droop slightly (in addition with everything else), Kagome couldn’t help but feel her heart swell at the endearment she felt towards him. Gingerly, she reached a hand out and pushed his chin to have his head turn straight, their gazes meeting. When she knew he wasn’t about to look away again, she reached between then, gripping his cock to keep it up while she sank onto it. 

The way she looked when she sank down onto him felt almost like a dream, porcelain skin contrasting so beautifully against her raven hair and the bright red fabric of his robe. There was no way to stop his hands from running up the smooth curves of her waist, basking in the softness of her skin as she engulfed him. He didn’t know where this sudden need to have him came from, but he wasn’t about to question it ー it wasn’t like he would deny her, regardless.

Kami ー she was perfect. 

Her big, doe eyes peering down at him were filled with adoration and love towards him ー _him_ ー a lowly half-demon that had been told he didn’t deserve anything, let alone a woman like _her_ . A woman who took his heart and put it back together with such effortless care that it left him in awe, Kagome was _his_ and she made sure he remembered that at any turn she could. How her jaw hung open, letting her luscious lips frame her mouth, told him she felt full, something he always promised she’d feel.

With palms so warm, she rested them on his sternum to get leverage, sinking down to the base of him with a high-pitched whine. Inuyasha’s low groan paired nicely alongside hers, head falling back against the pillow as he did so. 

She was so warm and plush wrapped around him, tight and wet like paradise. Kagome stayed where she was for a moment allowing herself to stretch to his girth. It was a serene moment, no sound but the crackle of the fire and their own ragged breaths. No song birds or white noise of the world waking up to drown out what Kagome realized she wouldn’t normally hear so well.

_“Is this how Inuyasha feels all of the time?”_

Kagome had just enough sound of mind to let that thought cross before Inuyasha’s hands crawled up over her ribs and palmed her breasts. A sweet gasp left her at the touch, causing her to lift herself off him to the head before sinking back down onto every inch of him. How easily she did so had Inuyasha release a groan, letting softer ones leave him afterward as her hips began an even rhythm. 

Each roll of her hips had him pushing up to meet her, one hand releasing her breast to cradle the back of her head as she moved to hover over him. One hand rested on the futon by his head while the other gripped his wrist, letting their gazes remain locked together as they basked in the euphoria they brought one another. 

It hadn’t been uncommon for them to indulge in morning sex, _especially_ when she’d first come back. The moment that the two of them had the purest taste of one another, they were insatiable; well, they were insatiable when they were in private. Public displays of affection were still minimal, though slowly becoming more prevalent with each passing day. However, after the last month or so, it had slowed and the two of them were reminded of just how much they _enjoyed_ such an indulgence. 

Although she was the one taking charge, she could see that desire lingering in the back of her husband’s gaze ー a restraint that basically told her that he was _allowing_ her to take what she wanted. 

She continued her rhythm, perhaps a little slow for his liking but managing to hit a place within her that was made much easier in this position. It wasn’t as though he wasn’t enjoying himself, too. Seeing her riding him was a sight he’d only ever dreamed of and was more than happy to bask in the reality of it all. Still, Kagome played with fire, tugging at his wrist and moving his hand from her head to her neck, a signal that she was passing the control over to him. It took all of two seconds for him to take it openly.

Moving to a seated position, he wrapped one arm around her waist while the other stayed on her neck. Accepting the shift, Kagome wrapped one arm around his neck while the other rested on his chest, feeling him just get that much deeper within her. 

With a low growl, he brought her face close enough for him to claim her lips with his own, letting it linger as he moved them so he was on top of her. With a hum of contentment, she wrapped both arms around his neck, legs doing the same to his waist to keep him close as he began a rhythm of his own. It held more force and a swiftness that only he could achieve, leaving Kagome breathless when he managed to hit a certain spot within her. 

“Inuyashaー” she whimpered against his lips, already feeling her core tightening with the promise of release. His name sounded like a warm summer day every time she laced it with any sound of need she made, causing him to edge just that much closer to his own end, “Please.”

With ears stuck straight, he captured every small whimper and gasping breath she made as he continued his pace. Pushing himself up onto his hands, elbows locked, he watched as her face showed just how close she was to her end. Mouth was open with the promise of moans, a promise she kept consistently as he replied with his own grunts, growls and groans, “Kagome ー” 

The telltale signs of her climax became more clear as her wall began to slowly clench around him until they clamped down in such a sweet, delectable way. A cry left her, back arching against him as her hands gripped his biceps. Inuyasha watched as her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she turned her face to the side. 

Her walls continued to quiver as he continued thrust after thrust to meet his end, spending himself within her soon after. A deep, choked groan left him as he dug his head into the crook of her neck, basking in her scent and sudden touch of her fingers lazily rubbing at one of his ears.

Deep, gasping breaths were the only things that could be heard, drowning out the sound of the fire as they lay together. Both of them content, Inuyasha maneuvered in such a way that he wasn’t putting too much weight on her, pulling from her (much to Kagome’s dismay) so he could slink down her body and rest his head on her chest. The whimper she gave had him almost changing his mind, but the touch of her fingers continuing their attention on his ear was the only thing he wanted at that moment.

“Guess I’ll be wearing your robe more than you this winter,” she murmured breathlessly, seeing her husband free ear twitch at the notion.

“Oh, yeah?” he asked, though never moved his head from where it was and made no attempt to look up at her to read her expression.

“If it means this is how I can warm up in the morning? Yes.”

“ _You_ came onto _me_ ,” he reminded, causing Kagome to release a breathy giggle, “The robe’s just...encouragement.”

The details had been ironed out over the next week, Sango and Miroku loving the idea of doing something all together. It had been too long since they’d all found time to just sit down with the entire group, as daily duties often kept everyone busy. Sure, they’d share lunch together every once in a while and find time to catch up, but to sit down and dedicate almost an entire day to spending time with one another was unheard of. 

Word had spread of Kagome’s ‘Christmas’ and other villagers had desired to participate. Before anyone knew it, they were invited to share dinner at the headman’s house after spending the morning with their more immediate family. 

Family. 

Kagome knew there would always be a small gap in her heart that would belong to her biological family and, when she’d gotten up that morning, it had been more difficult than she’d thought to keep that to herself. Ever vigilant, Inuyasha had noticed and did his best to ease the ache, but Kagome knew she’d have them on her mind for the day, if only a little.

An image of Souta entered her mind when she watched Shippou open a gift that resembled a wooden horse with great excitement before pretending to have it gallop through the air. She saw her mama when Sango received her gift of a lovely silk fabric that she could use to make a lovely kimono. As Kaede opened her gift of a new brass incense burner, Kagome was reminded of the same expression of excitement that her grandfather would have had. Though her smile of happiness was genuine, Inuyasha knew full well of the underlying melancholy that lingered as she accepted their thanks.

Inuyasha had convinced Kagome to exchange their gifts alone after dinner, which perplexed her greatly but she agreed regardless. If he was asking her, she knew there was a good reason as to why.

“Maybe next year we can actually decorate a tree!” Shippou exclaimed as he jumped up onto Kagome’s shoulder. That same smile passed over the young miko’s face as she lifted her hand to pat the top of the kitsune’s head. 

“That’s a great idea, Shippou! We can plan a little bit more next year, seeing as this year was a little rushed,” Kagome explained before turning her attention to Inuyasha, who held a rather neutral expression, “But, honestly, if we just did this every year, I’d be happy. Christmas isn’t really about all the extra, it’s just about spending time with your family.”

Inuyasha caught her gaze, expression softening some with the attempt to ignore the gnawing feeling of guilt in the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t oblivious to how much she’d left behind to be with him and, even though she assured him that she made the right choice and she’d have done it all over again, it still ate away at him some days. 

“It truly has been too long since we’ve had time like this,” Sango stated, holding Hisui against her chest as she burped him.

“Aye,” Kaede agreed, holding Kin'u in her lap as Rin sat to her side with Gyokuto sitting in hers.

“Are there any other traditions from your time like this?” Miroku asked. For some reason, Inuyasha tensed, tempted to ask the monk to keep his mouth shut, aware of how Kagome was already struggling with the separation from her world that day. 

Yet, ever the gracious woman she was, Kagome answered enthusiastically, “Oh yeah! We have plenty of days like this! There’s New Years and Thanksgiving. We already do something similar for New Years here, though it’s more of a spectacle back in my home world.”

“We should celebrate those, too!” Rin chirped with a bright smile.

“Rin’s right. It would be nice to have more days like this,” Miroku’s tone was genuine, the rest of the group nodding - all of them, except Inuyasha. 

“Kagome,” Shippou began, watching as she turned her head towards him with a hum of acknowledgement, “Do you think you could tell us about San-dee Claws again?”

Dinner was much more fun than Kagome had anticipated; the hall was filled with laughter and merriment. Drinks were shared, reminiscing of times that were far less simple than they were now. Kagome had managed to find comfort, mind distancing from the fact that she was without her first family and nearing the fact that her new one, her chosen one, she loved just as much. 

After a cup or two of sake, she mentally cut herself off and instead switched to tea for the rest of the night. The food was filling and absolutely delicious, a rival to what she had eaten back home. Maybe it tasted better due to the fact that Inuyasha was by her side, something that, for three years, she never thought she’d have the opportunity to have again. It was because of him that this dinner had happened in the first place, offering to help with the planning and get Miroku and Sango on board to help. 

It seemed even he was enjoying himself, showing a much more relaxed state than he often did, especially when surrounded by such a large crowd of people. Every once in a while, she would see his ears twitch or flatten against his head when their end of the table got particularly loud and rowdy. When she did, there was no stopping her from taking his hand in hers with assurance and thankfulness.She knew he had planned all of this for her, to make her comfortable and bring back a piece of her own time. 

As the hours dwindled later and later into the night, the pair decided to follow Sango and Miroku’s lead when it came to heading home. They were some of the last few left, the twins passed out, one in Miroku’s arms and the other in Kagome’s as Sango’s was preoccupied with Hisui. 

Walking down the shoveled path through the snow, Kagome kept Kin’u in her arms as they made their way to Sango and Miroku’s. It astonished her how much Miroku had to drink and yet he seemed completely sound of mind. Perhaps Mushin had more of an influence on him that any of them had originally thought. 

“That was the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” Sango stated happily, adjusting Hisui on her back, “Thank you for introducing it to us, Kagome.”

“That _was_ fun! I’m completely stuffed,” Kagome replied genuinely, “Miroku, I’m surprised you’re still standing. How much sake did you drink?”

“Me? Hmー” he let his gaze peer upward in thought, “Perhaps a full jug, but in all honesty I’ve lost count.”

“You’re gonna end up a drunkard, if you keep that up,” Inuyasha countered, arms shoved into his sleeves as they all fell in stride with one another while his attention only glanced towards the monk.

Miroku couldn’t help but give a wily smirk, “Sounds like jealousy, to me. Are you upset that normal sake doesn’t do anything for you? I’m _sure_ we could ask the master of potions for some of his magic brew.”

“Keh! I wasn’t even that drunk.”

“No, you were completely pickled!” Kagome countered, recalling back to just how drunk the hanyou had been ー so much so that he asked why he was seeing _three_ of her, “I’d never seen you drunk before, it was quite the experience.”

“Yeah well, don’t expect to see it again any time soon,” he murmured to himself with eyes close and chin turned upward in defiance. 

After helping Sango and Miroku get the twins to bed, Kagome and Inuyasha said their goodbyes and made their way to their hut just on the outskirts of the village and bordered the forest that was named after the hanyou himself. 

“Thank you,” Kagome said suddenly, peering up at her husband. Inuyasha seemed taken aback by the sudden sentiment of gratitude. 

“For what?”

“For today. This is the best gift I could have gotten,” she stated honestly, giving him an authentic smile. Her reward was a flush of red over Inuyasha’s cheeks, turning his attention from her as her tried to brush it off as if it was nothing.

“Yeah, well it wasn’t just me. Sango and Miroku helped, too.”

“I know, but the fact that you brought it up to them and asked ー it meant a lot to me.”

Inuyasha turned his attention back towards her as they rounded a bend that brought down the path that led right to their front door, “You said you wanted to celebrate Christmas,” he explained, as if it was completely obvious that he would do what he needed to make that happened. 

Kagome wrapped both of her arms around one of his, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked, “I did, but I didn’t expect it to be as big as it was. I’m surprised the headman was willing to host dinner.”

It almost hurt him, realizing just how little Kagome knew how adored she was by everyone in the village. To him, he would have been shocked if the headman hadn’t offered to host dinner; Kagome’s stature was rather high within the village, someone that people respected and turned to ー she was cherished. He wished every day he could make sure he knew it.

It wasn’t long until a fire was built and candles lit to offer some more light throughout their modest home. Kagome shrugged off her shall, only to feel the weight of another fabric drape itself over her shoulders. A warmth radiated over her heart as she felt a kiss be pressed to the top of her head; this was the Inuyasha that only she got to see ー another gift she never took for granted. Turning to face him, she wrapped the robe around herself, feeling the comfort and heat sinking into her chilled bones and relaxing her.

“We still have our gifts,” Inuyasha reminded, gesturing to the three bundles wrapped in linen, One much larger than the rest, tucked away in the corner of their living area. Giving her husband a nod, she made her way towards the bundles, grabbing the larger one and placing it at his feet before going back and grabbing the other two smaller ones. Passing him the one she’d gifted him, she held onto the one he’d gifted her.

Standing across from one another, Kagome gestured for him to open his, “You first,” she urged, keeping her still-wrapped gift from him in her hands. Inuyasha gently tugged at the knot, letting it fall open, it revealed a box that resembled the same size as one that housed jewelry. The smell had partially given away the gift before he even opened, having smelled it the day before when she’d brought it home. 

Opening the box, he saw plenty of different ingredients, “What’s this for?” he asked before seeing Kagome gesture to the larger bundle at his feet. Opening it, he saw a large, ceramic jug with a lid. When he opened it, he could smell exactly what she’d gifted him, “Is this for ramen?” The jug was filled with chicken broth, seasoned with similar spices that reminded him of the ramen he’d deemed ‘ninja food’ she’d bring back when they were fighting Naraku.

Kagome gave him a nod and a somewhat unsure smile, “I know it’s not the same as the stuff from my time, but I tried to find something that was similar.” Inuyasha could read the uncertainty on her face and he realized perhaps his face wasn’t showing the gratitude he felt. Some of the ingredients were expensive and, frankly, harder to find, especially at this time of year.

With a bright smile, he leaned forward and pressed a thankful kiss to her lips, “Broth smells pretty damn close,” he admitted, “Thank you, koibito,” he murmured against her lips. A relieved aura washed over her, having found Inuyasha nearly impossible to gift for. A simple man, he didn’t feel the need for luxury or meaningless items that he would deem only to be clutter. She felt like she was taking a risk by offering him something that perhaps wasn’t considered material, but his reaction told her she’d made the right choice.

“You really like it?” She asked, “I figured we could make it tomorrow for dinner,” she added, seeing her husband nod in confirmation for both of her questions.

“I do,” he replied before leaning back and placing the box on one of their counters, “Now open yours,” he encouraged, attempting to keep his excitement at bay as he watched her pull the knot open with bright eyes. 

Peering down at the bundle in her hands, the linen fell away and revealed a ceramic bowl with a somewhat large vial filled with a rather milky liquid. With confusion causing her brows to furrow, she picked up the vial while placing the bowl on the counter. Popping the top open, she brought it to her nose and took a couple small sniffs. 

The scent hit her like a tonne of bricks; it was more earthy and less sweet, but the memories brought back were undeniable. Lilac and vanilla, with a hint of citrus ー just like back home. Eyes widened as she brought her gaze to meet Inuyasha’s, tears welling up within her eyes that put Inuyasha into a slight panic, “Is thisー?” she asked, the tone of her voice telling him that they weren’t tears of disappointment, but something more positive. 

“I know we don’t have that stuffーuh, what was it? Shim-poo?”

“Shampoo,” she corrected through a bashful smile, “I mean, had to get help making itー”

“You _made_ it?!” Kagome exclaimed through a strained, cracked voice, letting a sob escape right after.

Fuck. Why was she crying? Did she not like it? Was he bringing up too many memories for her? 

However, when he saw her bring it to her chest, clutching it tightly as if it were something extremely precious, that panic subsided some, “Dーdo you like it?”

“I love it!” she replied immediately, tears falling freely as she took a step towards him and wrapped her free arm around his waist. Digging her head into the crook of his neck, “Iー” she didn’t know what to say, “Thank you,” she hiccuped, feeling Inuyasha’s arms wrap around her tightly, one cradling the back of her head.

“I wanted t’give you a piece of your home,” he said, causing Kagome to crumple even more into him, “I know we don’t gotta lot of stuff, like that instant cooker or that weird box with pictures, butー”

“Stop,” she scolded, clutching him even tighter as her tears soaked the collar of his kosode, “I _am_ home,” she emphasized through shaky breaths before pulling away enough to look up at him. Large, wet eyes were met with softened honey as Inuyasha leaned his head down to rest the fore of it against her own. Taking one of his hands, he cupped her cheek to wipe away her tears with his thumb, “Inuyasha, it’s _perfect_.”

Another wave of relief washed over him, gingerly taking the vial from her hand and placing it on the counter along with the other gifts, “I have one more.”

“More?” Kagome repeated, managing to calm down her tears enough to register what he’d said. Seeing him nod, she felt him pull from her only to take her hand in his and lead her towards thor bedroom. Wide eyed and slightly dazed from the thoughtfulness of his gift, Kagome followed easily. 

Fluidly, he pulled her in a way that she was walking backward. Confusion passed over her features for but a moment until she felt her back hit the wall. A plethora of rather naughty thoughts passed through her mind at the position he’d cornered into. With his hand resting beside her head, he hovered over her like a predator prepared to eat its prey. 

“Inuyashaー” she began, prepared to make some snide comment about how sex was gift they both could give each other at any time. However, she saw his gaze flit upwards in a gesturing motion to look up, Kagome followed, head craning back to see exactly what his next gift was.

Above them was a small, dried piece of mistletoe hanging between them. Kagome’s heart swelled at the notion, attention falling back to his face with the threat of exploding into another fit of sobs. Before she could, Inuyasha captured her lips with his, rewarded with his wife’s arms wrapping around his neck tightly with a whimper filled with too many emotions to count. The robe draped over her shoulders fell to the ground at her feet as Inuyasha wrapped both arms around her waist. 

The kiss lingered, moving into a string of them as Kagome clutched onto him like her life depended on it. Her lips poured her love, adoration and gratitude into every kiss they shared, feeling the same in return from the man she had crossed five hundred years to spend her life with. 

After a few more moments, they broke away from each other, but only enough for their noses to brush against one another. There was no way to hold back the words she said next, words rarely spoken between them as it wasn’t exactly necessary. However, in that moment, Kagome felt it absolutely imperative to portray just how deeply she felt for him.

“I love you.”

With eyes soft and warm, reflecting the nature of his honey-toned gaze, Inuyasha let those words bury themselves into his heart where they took permanent residence every time she said them.

“I love you, too.”

Sniffling back her tears, she let one arm unwrap itself from him so she could use her thumb to wipe away the excess tears, “I feel like my gift wasn’t as good, now” she stated honestly, feeling a slight twinge of guilt as the thought that he put into his gift to hers in comparison. 

Cupping her chin with the side of his index finger, he shook his head, “No, your gift is the best one I could ask for,” he stated, leaving Kagome confused. She knew he loved ramen, but to know that is the best gift he could receive, it left her disbelieving.

“What do you mean?” 

Inuyasha moved his hand to cup her cheek, leaning in to kiss her once again as he gave her a more direct answer.

“You gave it to me when I pulled you outta the well.”


End file.
